


After the End

by DistractedDream



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! Series
Genre: Afterlife, Angst, Citronshipping, M/M, Reconciliation, implied angstshipping, implied gravityshipping, implied thiefshipping, mrs ishtar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-26 08:49:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12055473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistractedDream/pseuds/DistractedDream
Summary: The Thief King waits for his former partner in Aaru.





	After the End

**Author's Note:**

> This was a quick little thing that popped into my head and was longer than I anticipated. Thanks again to SerenityXStar for betaing!
> 
> I can be found on Twitter @DistracteDream and on Tumblr @DistractedDream. Please leave kudos or comments if you liked this! I appreciate every single one.

Malik was coming. He didn’t know how he knew, only that he did. The King of Thieves found himself drawn to the gates a few days prior, though with no way to measure time in Aaru, days could have been weeks or years for all he knew. Yet, days or decades, he waited at the gates, certain Malik would be there soon.

Currently, he paced a line into the sand, hands folded behind his back. The waiting made him anxious and here so near the gates, there was little else to occupy his time. “Come on, Malik,” he muttered. “What’s taking you so long? The Duat cannot have been that hard for you.”

“Of all, you would question how long one’s journey through the Duat should be?”

He pulled up short in his pacing, feet sinking into the soft sands. A woman with long black hair and hazel eyes stood before him with an understanding smile. She was taller than he, but then he was used to that. He squinted, her face familiar and yet not. “Isis? No… her eyes were blue.”

She shook her head, the smile never wavering. “No, my daughter has not yet joined us.”

“Your…” His eyes widened. Of course. Of course Malik’s mother would be awaiting him. Of course she would be in Aaru and ready to greet the son she never got to meet. He raked a hand through his scruffy hair. “I should go. This is your moment with him.”

“I would like it to be ours.” She offered him her hand. “Let us wait together for my son.”

He felt awkward holding her hand, like a little boy that might run away in the market or touch something he shouldn’t, but there he stood. He had nothing else to do.

Noise arose from the other side of the gate and energy thrummed through him. Malik. If he could recite the Negative Confessions, if his heart could balance on Ma’at’s scales, he would walk through the gate. There was nothing they could do from Aaru except hope.

A gut-wrenching scream reverberated from beyond the gate and the Thief King almost lunged for it. Only the grip on his hand kept him rooted to his spot in the sand. The scream became two, one breaking and fading, the other morphing into a cackle. Malik’s darkness. He shivered, hope faltering.

A squeeze on his hand captured his attention, lifting his head to meet Malik’s mother’s eyes. “You survived the weighing. He will too.”

The gate slammed open, golden light of the gods spilling in as a figure stalked through. The thief’s breath caught as the light disappeared behind the closing gate, Malik looking back over his shoulder in awe. He looked older, older than the teen he’d been in Battle City or even in Egypt during Zorc’s last desperate grasp for power. Would he even recognize his former partner? His body wasn’t his host’s, shorter, darker, stronger. He shuffled, his blue shenti and red robe feeling inadequate to Malik’s modern dress.

Malik turned away from the gate, earrings catching the last of the light, as though the gods themselves announced his entrance into Aaru. The Thief King smirked because it was right that they should. Malik might have only styled himself as a pharaoh, but he deserved the title as well as any that were born into it. Malik blinked slowly at them, vision adjusting. “… _um_?” His voice choked on the name, taking a step to his mother before freezing as he noticed the man next to her. “Bakura?!”

He chuckled, pretending the relieved tears on his cheeks weren’t there. “It’s Bakari. I remembered it somewhere in the Duat. Hello, Malik.”

Malik made an undignified squeak and rushed forward across the sands, throwing his arms around Bakari’s neck, his tears hidden against the other’s hair. “You ass! You didn’t even say goodbye!”

Bakari nuzzled into Malik’s hair, the warm scent of sunshine and motor oil still clinging to him even in the afterlife. “I never meant to lose. I would have if I could have.” He longed to stand there for eternity, simply holding Malik to him, but a soft hand on Malik’s head made them both jerk apart.

“ _Um_.” Malik wiped at his eyes. She opened her arms and her youngest child fell into them, tears streaming down his face anew. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry.”

“Shh, it’s alright. It’s alright.” She tenderly stroked his hair, dabbing at his eyes with her galabia. “You have no reason to be sorry. You’re here now.” She cupped his face, tilting it down to press a kiss to his brow. “We have forever to catch up.” They smiled and Bakari found himself grinning at the family resemblance. “I think your love needs you. You’ll find me when you’re ready.” She nodded at Bakari as she stepped back. “I think I should visit the mother of my son’s heart.”

She was gone with a thought. Bakari smiled ruefully. “Our mothers together. I have a feeling we’ll get an earful when we find them.” He tipped his head to Malik, watching as he stared at the spot his mother had stood. “Hey. She won’t be far. You haven’t lost her again.”

“It wasn’t that. What she said… Bakari…” Malik raked his fingers through his hair. “I never said…”

“I know.” Bakari lifted a shoulder. “I don’t think I would have been here if I hadn’t.” He held up his hand. “You knew it was me. Even like this, you knew.”

Malik lifted his hand, pressing their palms together, turning his wrist to thread their fingers together. “You died. And I… I didn’t mean to but I… We…”

“And how is Ryou?” Bakari tugged Malik closer, looping his arm around his waist. “Did you take care of him in my absence?” He grinned, Malik’s mouth opening and closing several times. “I never asked you to be faithful to me and certainly not after I died. Again. I’m glad you had each other.” He brought Malik’s knuckles to his lips, brushing light kisses across them. “Maybe we’ll be able to greet him together when his time comes. What was that scream I heard before you came through?”

“Ah…” Malik huffed out a breath, knowing Bakari was distracting him from thinking about waiting for Ryou, and appreciating it. “My darkness. They pulled him from me. When my heart was pulled for the weighing, he was torn out. I thought it was over when he appeared. My heart could never balance. Then he was… He was tossed to Ammit. Like refuse. And I was pushed through the gate.” His free hand stroked through Bakari’s hair. “To you.”

“Then I suppose I’m responsible for you. A tour guide, if you will.” Bakari danced away, cloak swirling around him as he bowed to Malik and offered his hand. “Come with me and I’ll show you paradise.”

Malik rolled his eyes but took Bakari’s hand nonetheless. “You are as corny as ever. Go on then. Show me.”

Bakari winked. “First stop, Atem’s palace!” Malik scowled, starting to object until Bakari cut him off. “He keeps the most interesting pets,” he continued airily. “Seto and Seth look quite fetching in collars.”

“No…”

“Yes. Wanna see?"

His laughter echoed off the gate behind them as they dashed into eternity together.


End file.
